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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081498">a pipe dream in five acts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourgirlislovely/pseuds/yourgirlislovely'>yourgirlislovely</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, and i mean a lot of angst, and yes this is very self-indulgent what of it?, the other avengers will make minor appearances if necessary, we're not worrying about Thanos the thumb and the infinity stones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:55:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,689</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081498</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourgirlislovely/pseuds/yourgirlislovely</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>.. and there's music too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Ava Starr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Act I: Nobody does it better</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is yet another attempt made by yours truly to write for the rarest of the rare. Enjoy! </p>
<p>scotchandwhitelies and wakandawinterprincess deserve awards for bringing such amazing content for this ship and just being sweethearts in general all the time!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> Act I: Nobody does it better </span>
</p><hr/>
<p>It’s easy to track her down of course. He’s done it for the third time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> That’s one of the perks of being a -presumed-dead-but-still-alive-world- war-two-veteran-turned-formerly-brainwashed-HYDRA-sometimes-SHIELD-operative. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And it’s put to good use for the team. </p>
<p><br/>
――――――――――――――――――――――――</p>
<p>The dimmed lights give him a good cover in the back alley as he leans back against the wall. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His breath fogs the air in front of him as he waits for his target to turn the corner.</p>
<p>His ears perk up at the slightest sound of footsteps. The light echo of feet touching the ground is uniquely her, he's followed her long enough to know that. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky closes his eyes, the distance between them closing in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Good, she's not aware of him. </p><hr/>
<p>Ava Starr. Ghost. Former SHIELD operative gone rogue. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The target he’s missed for the past 6 months. That’s what happens when she’s just as evasive with the bonus ability to make herself intangible. </p>
<p>She slips through his fingers. Quite literally.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But not before she renders him helpless though. The faint bruises serve as a reminder of his failed attempts to drag her to the Avengers headquarters. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(So maybe force isn’t the best approach, not if it keeps getting his ass handed to him. )</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He puts his hands in his overcoat, the smooth feel of thin metal against his dry fingers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(This time he'll play his cards right.)</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p>But then, silence.</p>
<p>(Fuck.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before he can react, he's tackled to the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(On his ass. <em>Again</em>.)</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>An unfair advantage, to be able to phase in and out of this dimension within seconds. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hazel eyes that could burn holes in him glare back, his hands are pinned down to his side by her own smaller ones.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You just don't learn your lesson, do you?", Ava snarls, her teeth showing like she's ready to tear him apart.</p>
<p>――――――――――――――――――――――――</p>
<p>( And he's feeling almost reckless enough to push her to do her worst just so he can throw in some damage of his own. )</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Instead, he tries for good old negotiations and diplomacy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Relax, I'm not here to take you anywhere.", He answers gruffly. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Maybe this'll work better if he sounds more like a human being.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She scoffs. "Like you could. So much for the infamous winter soldier, world famous HYDRA assassin. "</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That's not who I am anymore."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Clearly. You would have actually been able to kill me on the first try."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Bucky hates to admit it, but that stings his pride a little. Being the go-to assassin and the best not-so-secret weapon for HYDRA was hardly a choice but he'd be damned before he lets some copycat brat give him shit for it.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now's not the time for pettiness. Especially when he's the one pinned on the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Though he feels this itch to prove her wrong somehow.)</p>
<p>――――――――――――――――――――――――</p>
<p>"Listen kid, if I'd really wanted to kill you why would I leave myself vulnerable? I'm no killer anymore but I ain't stupid."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bucky tilts his head at his right pocket. Ava narrows her eyes, her murderous intent is now down to a defensive scrutiny.  She presses down with her left arm against his wrists, her face so close to his that he can count the freckles splashed on her pale cheeks. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's unnerving, to be at the mercy of someone who can end his life by simply phasing through his chest but it's her bold proximity that's really fucking with his heart rate. </p>
<p><br/>
――――――――――――――――――――――――</p>
<p>Her hand rummaging through his pocket only agitates the effect.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(He bites back a groan when she pulls away, her eyes focused on the thin metal strand between her fingers. No need to give her a reason to add 'touch starved creep' to her list of descriptives of him.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Ionized vibranium, fresh from Wakanda," He breathes out. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suspicion pours into her eyes. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(For a former agent, she's really bad at hiding her emotions. )</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How did you get into -"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Not your problem," he cuts in, "just know that it's exactly what you need to keep your disappearing act from killing you." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There’s a pang in his heart as her eyes shift in a desperate hope between him and the bracelet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>( For a former agent, she also trusts too easily)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He pushes himself up off the ground to sit, his hand outstretched as an offer to put it on her. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(The exhale of her relief makes him feel like the biggest asshole as he tightens the clasp on her wrist.)</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>She collapses onto him, the built-in sedative fully in effect. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(And seals her freedom).</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>It's no wonder that when she wakes up at the Avengers headquarters when he happens to check in on her, she gifts him a proper swollen jaw. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>(But he suspects that he's developed a fucked up taste for her touch, no matter the damage.)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Act 2: bad blood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Act 2: bad blood</p>
<hr/><p>She <em> hates </em> him.</p><p><br/>
It throws him off at first to be honest. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>(He knows he deserves every bit of it. He dangled a cure like so many others before, knowing she would be desperate enough to throw any semblance of caution away.)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It doesn’t help that the bracelet, while keeping the phasing under wrap, also comes with the bonus features of a tracker and disablement of her powers if they got too out of hand. </p><p> </p><p>Specifically, with the DNA sample of one person.</p><p> </p><p>Specifically, him.</p><p> </p><p> Needless to say, he’s fucked her over <em> royally </em>.</p><p> </p><p>He’s been on the receiving end of anger and hate, but never this vengeful.  The rest of the team gets her cool indifference while he bears the brunt of her sharp tongue and the intended violence when they spar. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, he <em> likes </em> it. </p><p> </p><p>( Doesn’t help with his new-founded masochism. Something about her wanting to push him to the brink of death is all it takes. And take it he does, even if it gets him looks of concern from Sam and Nat.)</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He’s no HYDRA scientist, but he’d be a liar if he said he’d never thought about it. A sense of power and control over someone through the simplest of means- manipulation.</p><p> </p><p>And he is tempted. </p><p> </p><p>The countless sleepless nights, where he’s nursing another bruise ( she always doubles down on where she’s hurt him before while he just goes for the throat), he’s oh-so tempted.  </p><p> </p><p>Just to feel that satisfaction of punishment on another super soldier and not <em> care </em> about the consequences.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>They go on a mission, just the two of them. </p><p> </p><p>Reconnaissance on a suspected HYDRA loyalist taking advantage of Wakanda's newly opened borders, their vibranium much less guarded.</p><p> </p><p>It's a simple enough mission, which makes it too glaringly obvious why he's supposed to tag team with her on this one.</p><p> </p><p>(It's a test to see if the restraint on her wrist needs to be put to good use.)</p><p> </p><p>As Nat gives the briefing, Bucky steals glances at Ava, her eyes and expression obscure enough that makes it a little hard to read her like an open book.</p><p> </p><p>(But if there's anything he's learned in their almost-close-to-fatal sessions, emotions run through her like wildfire.)</p><p> </p><p>The twitch of her fingers is all he needs to see to know that she's thinking. Plotting.</p><p> </p><p>To just make life hard for him. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>She's a loose cannon at the first opportunity. </p><p> </p><p>They make their way into the empty office building with ease, but she's ten phases ahead while he's running to just keep her in sight.</p><p> </p><p>The lack of security makes him suspicious but even as he tries to get his reluctant partner to listen, her comm is conveniently turned off. </p><p> </p><p>Of fucking course.</p><p> </p><p>Halfway up the stairs, she pauses to look at him. He can't see past the glowing red orbs of her mask but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that she's hell-bent on <em> fucking this up </em> for both of them. </p><p> </p><p>He's fuming. It's one thing to vent her anger in private but she's reckless now. </p><p> </p><p>He grabs her arm before she opens the door to the building. </p><p> </p><p>"Are you fucking <em> insane </em>?", he hisses, pulling her towards him. </p><p> </p><p>She tilts her head, but he could sense the smirk creeping on the edge of her lips.</p><p> </p><p> "You're the one having trouble keeping up, old man<span>―</span>"</p><p> </p><p>"And you're the brat who's one fuck up away from being whole in one dimension ever again.”</p><p> </p><p>And he almost hates himself for the threat, but it stills her long enough for him to run his thumb over the smooth metal hanging on her wrist. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>(It’s an impulse and a bad one at that, but he’s never gotten this close before. )</p><p> </p><p>The words “Phase disabled” are what brings her back; realizing what he’s done to her. </p><p> </p><p>Ava shoves him back hard.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky stares, the pounding of his heart ringing in his ears, his breathing heavy. </p><p> </p><p>(He gets it now. The control, the thrill of having it so easily and accessible.)</p><p> </p><p>It’s exhilarating almost. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Almost. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>But then, her mask comes off. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Sweat trickles down her face, causing her hair to stick to it. </p><p> </p><p>Her bottom lip quivers along with the rest of her.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>And then he sees it. His gut drops.</p><p> </p><p>As much as he is used to her anger, her hate and her chaos, the one thing he is not prepared to witness was her <em> fear </em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Of him.</em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>He takes a step closer, desperate to make this right. “ Ava, I<span>―</span>”</p><p> </p><p>“No!”, She jumps back, looking away, “ I-I, please just don’t<span>―</span>”. Her pleas die down into small breathes, her voice inaudible. </p><p> </p><p>He tries again, “ No, I can fix this, I<span>―</span>”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He is silenced by her gaze, tear-filled and wide. </p><p> </p><p>( The feeling is too familiar and too painful, the flashes that came right before each brain wipe burn throughout him. The memories of his sins, though horrific, are still his and they are taken. Over and over.)</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p>After the mission, he gives it back.</p><p> </p><p>He approaches her before she heads to her room after the mission, caution in every step. He's careful to not get too close and outstretched his hand for hers.</p><p> </p><p>(The distance is for his own sake as much as hers.)</p><p> </p><p>She says nothing after the words "phase enabled" sound through the cool metal, disappearing into the dark behind her door.</p>
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